Thursday, April 21, 2016

Another 1980/81 Hockey Pack

Let's open up another pack of 1980/81 Topps Hockey cards, shall we! A few weeks back I chronicled the opening of my first pack of this scratch-off silliness, here and the best card I got was a Gretzky Assists Leader, not too shabby. Lets's see what we get here.

Marcel Dionne All-Star

Charlie Simmer All-Star

Boom, right on top of the pack, two First Team All-Stars Dionne and Simmer. They're worth about two and one dollars each. Two-thirds of the Triple Crown Line (along with Dave Taylor), one of the greatest lines in hockey history. Definitely a good start to this pack.

Ryan Walter

Well, the good luck didn't last long. A second year card of the serviceable Ryan Walter. At the time of this card, he was the youngest captain in NHL history. He would go on to help the 1986 Canadiens win the Stanley Cup, card worth fifty cents.

Mark Howe All-Star

Oooh, another All-Star card, and Hall of Famer! This one of Gordie's kid is worth about 75 cents. In truth, I'm not really sure why Howe got an All-Star card this season. Even though he put up 80 points in 79/80 he actually finished fifth in voting for defence, behind fourth place Jim Schoenfeld who garnered the actual end-of-season Second All-Star spot. Howe would go on to grab three First Team spots in the 80's and posted a +85 rating in 85/86, the 8th highest of all time.

Barry Long

Well, he WAS a two-time WHA Second Team All-Star, so he's got that going for him.

Blair MacDonald

Here's Gretzky's running mate on his first NHL card after having two WHA issues. I play beer-league hockey against his son, who's a realtor in North Vancouver...(he's a bit of an ass on the ice). Card is worth fifty cents.

Terry O'Reilly

The ultimate Bruin here coming off a 61 point, 265 penalty minute season in 79/80. Like I said, very Bruin-like. Fifty cents.

Don Edwards

Seventy-five cent card of the Second-Team All-Star from 79/80. Edwards shared the Vezina (which was a team trophy back then) with Bob Sauve after going 27-9-12 with a 2.57 GAA.

Larry Robinson

Here's another previous season First All-Star AND Norris Trophy winner. Robinson collected 75 points in his second of two Nirris seasons. Card worth two bucks.

Perry Turnbull

The first rookie card of the pack. Turnbull notched 16 goals his first year and would blossom to 34 goals this season. He is NOT brothers with ex-Maple Leaf, Ian Turnbull. Card is a buck.

Minnesota Team Poster

Sweet poster insert of the North Stars. This season they would surprise many by going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals only to lose to the Islanders in five games. These posters are worth two bucks each.